KSA puts Israeli normalization deal on ice amid war on Gaza: Reuters
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It seems the intensifying Israeli war on Gaza has caused Saudi Arabia to postpone its plans related to normalization.
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President Joe Biden and Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu in NY, on Sept. 20, 2023 (AP)
According to two sources familiar with Riyadh's thinking, Saudi Arabia is postponing US-backed plans to normalize relations with "Israel", signaling a swift reconsideration of its foreign policy goals as the conflict between "Israel" and the Palestinian group Hamas intensifies.
The kingdom's engagement with Iran has also been prompted by the Israeli aggression on Gaza. As Riyadh strives to stop a broader increase in violence across the region, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi called the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for the first time.
The two sources told Reuters that the US-sponsored negotiations on normalizing relations with "Israel", which were a crucial step for the kingdom to gain what Riyadh views as the true prize of a US defense treaty in exchange, would be delayed.
According to sources, Saudi Arabia had previously stated that it would not allow its pursuit of a US defense pact to be derailed even if "Israel" did not grant the Palestinians significant concessions in their quest for statehood.
Read: Saudi-"Israel" normalization in jeopardy due to Hamas operation: Axios
The source with knowledge of Riyadh's thinking claimed that talks could not proceed at this time and that when they do, the subject of Israeli concessions to the Palestinians would need the highest priority.
Email requests for comments on this article were not answered by the Saudi government.
The Saudi reassessment reveals obstacles to Washington's aspirations to further integrate "Israel" in a region where the Palestinian cause continues to be a prominent Arab preoccupation.
"Normalisation was already considered taboo (in the Arab world) ... this war only amplifies that," Saudi analyst Aziz Alghashian said.
At a White House briefing this week, US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan stated that the normalization effort was "not on hold" but that other pressing issues were taking priority.
A source with knowledge of Saudi thinking claimed that Prince Faisal bin Farhan, the foreign minister of Saudi Arabia, resisted calls from Washington this week to have Riyadh denounce the Hamas attack. This was confirmed by a US source with knowledge of the matter.
After a Chinese-mediated move prompted the Gulf adversaries to reestablish diplomatic ties in April, the regional crisis has also prompted the Saudi crown prince and Iran's president to communicate for the first time.
According to a Saudi statement, the crown prince assured Raisi that "the kingdom is exerting maximum effort to engage with all international and regional parties to halt the ongoing escalation", underscoring Riyadh's desire to manage the crisis.
According to a senior Iranian source, Raisi's call to the crown prince was intended to help "Palestine and prevent the spread of war in the region," according to Reuters.
"The call was good and promising," the official said.
Read: 'Every day we get closer': MBS says on Saudi-Israeli normalization
